L-R: Alanamu Mustapha. Bronze Medal winner of N25K prize; Osagiede Thomas, Bronze Medal N25K; Ozena Utulu, the Ag Group Head, Corporate Communications; Oshinowo Gbenga, Gold Medal N100K and Akintewe Tolulope, Silver Medal N70K, during the prize presentation of winners at the just concluded 2021 ValueJet Para Table Tennis Open, held in Lagos.
2 Dr. Grace Igbokwe (Representative of 1st lady of Lagos State); Ozena Utulu, Ag, Group Head, Corporate Communications, Heritage Bank Plc and Hon. Durosimi Eti, Chairman Para Athletics Association Lagos State, at the just concluded 2021 ValueJet Para Table Tennis Open, held in Lagos.
Heritage Bank plc has reiterated its commitment to promoting sports in Nigeria, in partnership with Lagos State Government to back the 3rd Edition of the annual Lagos Value Jet Para Table Tennis championship.
The three-day para table tennis championship hosted 45 table tennis games, which held in the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere Lagos.
Speaking to the media during the games, the MD/CEO of Heritage Bank stated that the bank’s commitment to sports and its partnership with Lagos ValueJet Para Table Tennis resonates from the institution’s brand passion to support sports, especially for the physically challenged that would help in wellbeing, health and by extension nation building.
According to him, Heritage Bank believes in development and having the tenacity to develop Nigerians both young and old, whilst encouraging the physically challenged especially the participants of the para table tennis that this game is capable of helping them to keep healthy and fit.
He commended the Para–division of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Sunday Odebode’s Para Table Tennis Foundation for organizing the competition as well as the Lagos State Government for playing a leading role in the development of sports in the country.
Sekibo who was represented by Ozena Utulu, the Ag Group Head, Corporate Communications also recalled the support it received from the Lagos State government when it organised the Skoolimpics, its signature sporting event with more than 6,000 students from over 600 public and private secondary schools from the six educational districts of Lagos Sate in attendance at the three-day sporting fiesta held in 2017.
According to him, Skoolimpics is an idea conceived to bring into being a national sports festival for young people in secondary schools aimed at helping the country discover young talents who will re-ignite the spirit of excellence in competitive and recreational sports.
“The idea was intended to be a holistic development of young people in order to foster their physical, social and emotional wellbeing. It is a well-known fact that physical education and sports help in character and community building, delinquency reduction, community safety, economic and social development,” Sekibo stated.
In similar manner, First Lady of Lagos State, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu reiterated the government’s commitment to continually put measures in place to play-up the welfare, wellbeing and interests of the physically challenged.
Sanwo-Olu represented by Grace Igbokwe advised the participants to continue investing the right energy and zeal into training, whilst cautioning them to take their education even more seriously and equally draw inspiration from great Table Tennis players who are making waves nationally and internationally.
Coordinator of the tournament, Sunday Odebode, said fans would witness the emergence of new stars in the kind of Christian Ikpoyi, who is rated number 10 in the world, to replace the ageing Nigerian players.
Bayelsa Govt. seeks Heritage Bank support on youth devt in sport
The Bayelsa State Government has indicated interest in partnering Heritage Bank Plc on youth empowerment and sport development.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo disclosed the interest of the State Government during a courtesy call with the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Daniel Igali and others on the Management of the Bank, at Heritage’s Head Office in Lagos recently.
Ewhrudjakpo expressed the State Government’s readiness to collaborate with Heritage Bank to empower youths and develop sports at all levels with the intent to put measures in place to play-up their socio-economic wellbeing and for the identification and development of budding talents.
He also commended Heritage Bank for its pivotal role in enhancing youth development and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit for economic growth.
“We believe with that, there is going to be first, removing our youths from drugs dependency and we are also using them to win.
We really want to see how Heritage Bank can partner with us or support of which we have adequate publicity,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Ewhrudjakpo affirmed that Governor Douye Diri-led administration would do everything within its reach to foster a mutually beneficial partnership.
Whilst responding, the Executive Director of the Bank, Jude Monye who welcomed the delegates assured the Deputy Governor of Heritage’s readiness to support the Bayelsa Government on youth empowerment and sport development.
He noted that with the bank’s feats toward empowering young Nigerians and sport development showed the bank has strong desire towards developing and positioning youths to become world-class citizens equipped and ready to be absorbed into an increasing competitive professional skills and endeavours.
Monye further disclosed that Heritage Bank have been at the forefront of supporting good courses involving youth and sport, whilst reiterating the bank’s MD/CEO, Ifie Sekibo’s readiness to partner with Bayelsa State Government.
“On behalf of the CEO and the Board, I want to say, we will support the course of Bayelsa State as far as sports in concerned. Whether it is wrestling, athletic, football, soccer, we will be part of it,” he assured.
Adding, the ED said, “We have always supported good courses; we are a small bank and relatively new. We will support the Bayelsa State Government because we want to see the youth brought out of drug peddling and drug consumption to where their life can be useful.”
He recalled that when it concerns youth empowerment and sport development the Bank had carved a niche in collaborating with public and private organisations, especial state governments such as Lagos, Rivers State, Ibadan amongst others to build a culture of sports together with the formal education and entrepreneurship in a bid to secure the future of the teaming population.
Daniel Igali; Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Bayelsa State; Osepiribo Ben-Willie, Directorate Head, South-South, South-East & Private Wealth Management; Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Deputy Governor; Jude Monye, Executive Director, Heritage Bank and Hon. Tare Porri, Chairman House Committee on Sports – Bayelsa state house of assembly during a courtesy call by the officials of Bayelsa State Government on the Management of the Bank, at Heritage’s Head Office in Lagos recently.
“As a bank, we have done something in sports known as schoolympics which was organised by the bank, partnered with the 3rd Edition of the annual Lagos Value Jet Para Table Tennis championship, Ibadan Golf Club’s 30th anniversary, 14th edition of the West African Universities Game (WAUG), partnered with Lagos State Government to back the 3rd Edition of the annual Lagos Value Jet Para Table Tennis championship, 2014 Port Harcourt Amateur Open Golf Championship, IBB Golf Tournament in Abuja to list but few,” he hinted.
According to him, “Heritage Bank believes in development. We have the tenacity to develop, and sport is a way of developing Nigerians both young and old to help foster their physical, social, and emotional wellbeing. It is a well-known fact that physical education and sports help in character and community building, delinquency reduction, community safety, economic and social development.”
Monye further noted that the drive to continue in the support of youths was to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.
He explained that the entrepreneur schemes of the bank in the support for business especially among the youths have always focused on dependable job-creating sectors, such as agricultural value chain (fish farming, poultry, snail farming), cottage industry, mining and solid minerals, creative industry (tourism, arts, and crafts), and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
In the latest episode of Inside Africa, CNN International meets Nigeria’s fitness enthusiasts turned entrepreneurs who are launching new businesses inspired by a growing desire to stay active, healthy and fit.
The programme meets Aminadab Allen Adegboro, CEO of Pitstop Lagos, a group created in 2019 in which dozens of cyclists gather to ride all around the Lagos region to stay active and fit.
“We’re building a family in Pitstop Lagos itself. And I believe there’s still many people out there that would love to be part of our family, and we’re still waiting for those people. We’re still planning. We are planning to expand, you know, growth. So I think growth for Pitstop Lagos will be a continuous thing,” says Adegboro.
Dominic Mudabai, a personal trainer and fitness instructor, tells CNN he believes that people care about exercise now more than ever. “What we now have is a fitness consciousness. People want to now engage themselves in fitness to be healthier to look good, to feel good because of the benefits they get mentally, physically and even emotionally. In Nigeria, it’s grown exponentially over the years, and I believe it will grow even more,” he says.
In Nigeria, an increasing interest in playing sports, exercising and staying active and fit has the country on the verge of what some describe as a fitness revolution. Inside Africa explores the rise of cycling and martial arts, such as Taekwondo, as growing fitness activities in the country.
The Bayelsa State Government has indicated interest in partnering Heritage Bank Plc on youth empowerment and sport development.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo disclosed the interest of the State Government during a courtesy call with the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Daniel Igali and others on the Management of the Bank, at Heritage’s Head Office in Lagos recently.
Daniel Igali; Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Bayelsa State; Osepiribo Ben-Willie, Directorate Head, South-South, South-East & Private Wealth Management; Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Deputy Governor; Jude Monye, Executive Director, Heritage Bank and Hon. Tare Porri, Chairman House Committee on Sports – Bayelsa state house of assembly during a courtesy call by the officials of Bayelsa State Government on the Management of the Bank, at Heritage’s Head Office in Lagos recently.
Ewhrudjakpo expressed the State Government’s readiness to collaborate with Heritage Bank to empower youths and develop sports at all levels with the intent to put measures in place to play-up their socio-economic wellbeing and for the identification and development of budding talents.
He also commended Heritage Bank for its pivotal role in enhancing youth development and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit for economic growth.
“We believe with that, there is going to be first, removing our youths from drugs dependency and we are also using them to win.
We really want to see how Heritage Bank can partner with us or support of which we have adequate publicity,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Ewhrudjakpo affirmed that Governor Douye Diri-led administration would do everything within its reach to foster a mutually beneficial partnership.
Whilst responding, the Executive Director of the Bank, Jude Monye who welcomed the delegates assured the Deputy Governor of Heritage’s readiness to support the Bayelsa Government on youth empowerment and sport development.
He noted that with the bank’s feats toward empowering young Nigerians and sport development showed the bank has strong desire towards developing and positioning youths to become world-class citizens equipped and ready to be absorbed into an increasing competitive professional skills and endeavours.
Monye further disclosed that Heritage Bank have been at the forefront of supporting good courses involving youth and sport, whilst reiterating the bank’s MD/CEO, Ifie Sekibo’s readiness to partner with Bayelsa State Government.
“On behalf of the CEO and the Board, I want to say, we will support the course of Bayelsa State as far as sports in concerned. Whether it is wrestling, athletic, football, soccer, we will be part of it,” he assured.
Adding, the ED said, “We have always supported good courses; we are a small bank and relatively new. We will support the Bayelsa State Government because we want to see the youth brought out of drug peddling and drug consumption to where their life can be useful.”
He recalled that when it concerns youth empowerment and sport development, the Bank had carved a niche in collaborating with public and private organisations, especial state governments such as Lagos, Rivers State, Ibadan amongst others to build a culture of sports together with the formal education and entrepreneurship in a bid to secure the future of the teaming population.
“As a bank, we have done something in sports known as schoolympics which was organised by the bank, partnered with the 3rd Edition of the annual Lagos Value Jet Para Table Tennis championship, Ibadan Golf Club’s 30th anniversary, 14th edition of the West African Universities Game (WAUG), partnered with Lagos State Government to back the 3rd Edition of the annual Lagos Value Jet Para Table Tennis championship, 2014 Port Harcourt Amateur Open Golf Championship, IBB Golf Tournament in Abuja to list but few,” he hinted.
According to him, “Heritage Bank believes in development. We have the tenacity to develop, and sport is a way of developing Nigerians both young and old to help foster their physical, social, and emotional wellbeing.
It is a well-known fact that physical education and sports help in character and community building, delinquency reduction, community safety, economic and social development.”
Monye further noted that the drive to continue in the support of youths was to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.
He explained that the entrepreneur schemes of the bank in the support for business especially among the youths have always focused on dependable job-creating sectors, such as agricultural value chain (fish farming, poultry, snail farming), cottage industry, mining and solid minerals, creative industry (tourism, arts, and crafts), and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).